Undiagnosed Kidney Injury in Uninsured and Underinsured Diabetic African American Men and Putative Role of Meprin Metalloproteases in Diabetic Nephropathy.

Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease. African Americans are disproportionately burdened by diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD). Disparities in DKD have genetic and socioeconomic components, yet its prevalence in African Americans is not adequately studied.

Use of peptide thrombopoietin receptor agonist romiplostim (Nplate) in a case of primary HIV-associated thrombocytopenia.

Thrombocytopenia is frequently encountered in HIV-infected patients, and the predominant cause is primary HIV-associated thrombocytopenia (PHAT). Standard treatment regimens include optimization of antiretroviral therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, anti-D, and corticosteroids. Retreatment due to the inability to sustain remission or inferior responses is common, and investigation into the safety and efficacy of alternative therapies is warranted.

Safety of zoster vaccine in elderly adults following documented herpes zoster.

Background: After completion of the Shingles Prevention Study (SPS; Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Number 403), SPS participants who had initially received placebo were offered investigational zoster vaccine without charge. This provided an opportunity to determine the relative safety of zoster vaccine in older adults following documented herpes zoster (HZ).

Methods: A total of 13 681 SPS placebo recipients who elected to receive zoster vaccine were followed for serious adverse events (SAE) for 28 days after vaccination.

Continuous versus intermittent infusion of oxacillin for treatment of infective endocarditis caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is the fourth leading cause of life-threatening infection in the United States and imposes significant morbidity and mortality. The American Heart Association guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of IE do not address continuous-infusion (CI) oxacillin. This retrospective study compares outcomes between CI oxacillin and intermittent-infusion (II) oxacillin in the treatment of IE caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).

Pneumorachis caused by metastatic gas gangrene.

Pneumorachis has previously been described only after spread from a contiguous site or after a traumatic event. Our patient experienced sepsis due to multiple enteric organisms, and gas was identified within the spinal canal on computed tomographic imaging. We present the 1st case of pneumorachis caused by disseminated infection.

HIV infection increases the risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

The incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected inpatients was compared with that in a control group that was not known to be infected with HIV in a retrospective cohort study. HIV-infected patients receiving heparin therapy, especially unfractionated heparin therapy, were at increased risk of developing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, compared with HIV-uninfected patients.